Hacking Intranet Websites from the Outside:
JavaScript malware just got a lot more dangerous

Jeremiah Grossman, WhiteHat Security

Imagine you’re visiting a popular website and invisible JavaScript exploit code steals your cookies, captures your keystrokes, and monitors every web page that you visit. Then, without your knowledge or consent, your web browser is silently hijacked to transfer out bank funds, hack other websites, or post derogatory comments in a public forum. No traces, no tracks, no warning sirens. In 2005’s "Phishing with Superbait" presentation we demonstrated that all these things were in fact possible using nothing more than some clever JavaScript. And as bad as things are already, further web application security research is revealing that outsiders can also use these hijacked browsers to exploit intranet websites.

Most of us assume while surfing the Web that we are protected by firewalls and isolated through private NAT'ed IP addresses. We assume the soft security of intranet websites and that the Web-based interfaces of routers, firewalls, printers, IP phones, payroll systems, etc. even if left unpatched, remain safe inside the protected zone. We believe nothing is capable of directly connecting in from the outside world. Right? Well, not quite.

Web browsers can be completely controlled by any web page, enabling them to become launching points to attack internal network resources. The web browser of every user on an enterprise network becomes a stepping stone for intruders. Now, imagine visiting a web page that contains JavaScript malware that automatically reconfigures your company’s routers or firewalls, from the inside, opening the internal network up to the whole world. Even worse, common Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities make it possible for these attacks to be launched from just about any website we visit and especially those we trust. The age of web application security malware has begun and it’s critical that understand what it is and how to defend against it.

During this presentation we'll demonstrate a wide variety of cutting-edge web application security attack techniques and describe bestpractices for securing websites and users against these threats.